Facebook Therapy

Back in January we told you about a study on the impact of Facebook on your mood. That particular study, carried out at a German University, concluded that a visit to Facebook can leave you feeling down and depressed. The findings are based on the idea that most people log into Facebook and see pictures of their friends’ expensive holidays, beautiful partners, lovely homes and ideal lives. On seeing all of this exciting information they then compare their seemingly boring, inadequate life to that of their Facebook friends and get depressed. This does make sense as most people get jealous of others; its natural.

A UK study, conducted at the University of Portsmouth, has found that not only does Facebook depress you, but it can also give you a lift. Apparently looking at old photos of yourself can put you in a good mood and help you out of a bad one. Many people use the site to reminisce and remind themselves of good times they have had with their friends, which puts them in a good mood.

The study of 144 Facebook users found that a quarter looked at their own photos on a daily basis. This helped people remember being happy and having fun with others. The positive impact of looking at your old photos has been compared to reminiscent therapy, which is used to help people with memory problems. People with memory loss and old people are comforted by seeing pictures from the past and it is thought that this may help people with depression and other mood problems.

The study also confirmed what was already obvious; people use their phone to visit Facebook much more than desktops/laptops. This suggest peoples desire for instant access to the site via mobile devices and their constant demand for updates from their friends.

So, want to be happy? Try looking at your own photos and not other peoples. This way you will remember the good times and wont get jealous of what others are up to. And if you want to be really happy, why not visit a friend in real life and spend some time with them?

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